Letter: Comprehensive immigration reform must treat all with dignity, respect

The following is a letter to the editor that was sent to the Kalamazoo Gazette.

LARRY PROVANCHER/Portage

I am very passionate about comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship. This passion for reform goes back to the 1960's and 1970's when I had the good fortune to play for and coach the Kalamazoo Internationals soccer team.

The team was truly international with players from Europe; the Middle East; Africa; North, South and Central America, who loved soccer and played well together. We had some great teams and in 1979 defeated Atlanta Data Graphics the national amateur champs in the prestigious Soccerama Tournament held in Lexington, Ky.

Playing for and coaching this team of immigrants was one of the most rewarding experiences of my lifetime giving me an awareness of the contributions and dedication of our immigrant families. We are a nation of immigrants.We must ensure that reform treats all people with dignity and respect, works to unite families broken under our present system and provides a path to citizenship.